Unearthed Arcana – Sorcerer

In this week’s Unearthed Arcana we get a look at 4 new playtest options for the sorcerer: Favored Soul, Phoenix Sorcery, Sea Sorcery, and Stone Sorcery. We’re also asked for feedback on the recent Ranger and Rogue playtest materials. It looks like we’re going to keep getting lots of material like this for the next while, hopefully resulting in a book this fall full of new player options.

Shawn is an author and co-founder of Tribality.com. He first got into tabletop RPGs through ninjas and then by playing a Kender in Dragonlance. Years later, he can be found running games in the Nentir Vale and his own Seas of Vodari campaign setting.

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Favored Soul in 5e is a Sorcerer. OK, I can live with that, although I always envisioned him as a Warlock. Anyhow, the access to Cleric spells is logical, the plus one HP per level is a nice boost to the frail Sorcerers, the once per LR Lucky trait (OK, it is 2d4 instead of 1d20) is a bit too much if you ask me. Imagine a Lightfoot Halfling Favoured Soul Sorcerer with the Lucky Feat. Moreover, they get a hefty boost to Cha checks, and I like that and more survivability from then on. Overall, a bit OP but I like it.

The Phoenix Sorcerer is really cool. I like the quirks table, I like all the traits. Resistance to fire damage is the most commo to monsters though. I guess Elemental Adept (Fire) is a solid option for a Feat right there.

Water Sorcery has a lot of mobility, damage reduction and added effects to cast spells. Well, I’m pretty sure the theme has been played out already in the past. Anyhow, no major issues there, apart from the 18th level trait that makes you impervious of critical hits, no need to drink or eat any more (goodness me) and resistance to pretty much all types of weapon damage. That’s a lot to me.

Finally, the Stone Sorcery makes the Sorcerer more akin to melee fighting that any other Sorcerer Subclass. Proficiency for weapons and armor, Paladin-like spells that make melee fighting better for you, better HP and AC. Well, Stone Aegis is more controller-like than I’d like and a bit too OP for 6th level. Stone’s Edge gives you added damage to spells cast and Earth Master’s Aegis is protection for more of your friends. I don’t know, thematically is fine, but most people I know are not very eager to go to combat with HP boosted by d6. And for a magic user that wades into combat most people prefer a Bladelock or at least a Blade Singer.

Ish

Is the Lightfoot Halfling Favoured Soul Sorcerer with the Lucky Feat really that much different from a Lightfoot Halfling Wild Magic Sorcerer with the Lucky Feat or a Lightfoot Halfling Divination Wizard with the Lucky Feat?

MTi

No, not that much. I feel the latest trait a bit too overpowered though, as the Wild Magic Sorc. trait need sorcery points to work and the Divination Wizard needs two good rolls at the start of the day.

These Sorcerers can afford to spend their sorcery points on spell recovery or metamagic; they don’t have to hold back on those fronts so that they can power their subclass features. I think that’s better design, honestly.

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